Personnel: John Zorn ; Trevor Dunn (bass instrument); Mike Patton (vocals); Joey Baron (drums).Translator: Bill Laswell .Arranger: John Zorn .With 2006's MOONCHILD, New York City-based avant-garde composer/saxophonist John Zorn returns to the sort of chaotic, hardcore-influenced pieces that frequently appeared on his 1990s Naked City albums. Though Zorn doesn't perform on the record, he has assembled a top-notch trio of his longtime collaborators--vocalist Mike Patton, bassist Trevor Dunn, and drummer Joey Baron--to tackle these tracks with minimalist precision. Given the group's collective pedigree (Masada, Fantomas, etc.), the musicians are clearly at home on these songs, whether charging into "Hellfire" with manic ferocity or creeping through the eerie "Shadows of Thelema." Fans of the aforementioned artists, particularly Zorn's more aggressive projects, will likely be fascinated by MOONCHILD, an uncompromising and downright sinister recording.